A deep sea worm that inhabits hydrothermal vents survives the high levels of toxic arsenic and sulfide in its environment by combining them in its cells to form a less hazardous mineral. Chaolun Li of the Institute of Oceanology, CAS, China, and colleagues report these findings in a new study published August 26th in the open-access journal PLOS Biology.| EurekAlert!
The deep-sea worm Paralvinella hessleri thrives in extreme hydrothermal vents, tolerating high arsenic and hydrogen sulfide levels. This study shows that it detoxifies both by forming orpiment (As₂S₃) minerals inside epithelial cells; this unique biomineralization reveals a novel adaptation to toxic environments.| journals.plos.org